This May 7, 2020 file photo shows the Tokyo Stock Exchange. (Mainichi)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo stocks ended slightly lower Friday, snapping the market's three-day winning streak, as investors locked in gains amid subdued trading ahead of the Christmas holidays.

       The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended down 15.78 points, or 0.05 percent, from Thursday at 28,782.59. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange finished 2.65 points, or 0.13 percent, lower at 1,986.78.

       Decliners were led by insurance, land transportation, and electric power and gas issues.

       The U.S. dollar was firm in the lower 114 yen range, as the yen, seen as a safe haven asset, was sold as fears receded over the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, dealers said.

       At 5 p.m., the dollar fetched 114.34-38 yen compared with 114.35-45 yen in New York and 114.25-27 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Thursday.

       The euro was quoted at $1.1331-1333 and 129.57-61 yen against $1.1321-1331 and 129.61-71 yen in New York and $1.1328-1329 and 129.43-47 yen in Tokyo late Thursday afternoon.

       The yield on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond was unchanged from Thursday's close at 0.060 percent.

       The Nikkei index opened higher as sentiment was lifted after multiple reports that the Omicron variant may be less likely to cause hospitalizations compared with other coronavirus strains.

       However, the benchmark moved into negative territory in the afternoon after advancing more than 800 points over the last three trading days toward the 29,000 line, with high-tech shares such as Tokyo Electron and Fanuc supporting the market's downside, brokers said.

       "Although sentiment has been lifted by studies on Omicron as well as the recent approval of some COVID-19 drugs in the United States, the rise in coronavirus cases in Europe and the United States has put a damper on the festive mood ahead of the Christmas holidays," said Masahiro Yamaguchi, head of investment research at SMBC Trust Bank.

       Meanwhile, reports of multiple Omicron cases with unknown routes in Japan had a limited effect on stocks as market participants awaited clarity regarding government measures to tackle a potential resurgence of COVID-19 infections, he added.

       Among technology issues that tracked U.S. counterparts overnight, Tokyo Electron was up 760 yen, or 1.2 percent, at 64,260 yen, Fanuc rose 110 yen, or 0.5 percent, to 24,155 yen and Screen Holdings climbed 340 yen, or 2.8 percent, to 12,400 yen.

       Mitsui dropped 16.5 yen, or 0.6 percent, to 2,693.0 yen after reports that the trading firm was being sued by Nippon Steel Corp. for patent infringement.

       On the First Section, declining issues outnumbered advancers 1,173 to 884, while 127 ended unchanged.

       Volume on the main section fell to 746.72 million shares from Thursday's 813.50 million shares.

       Font Size S M L Print Timeline 0